jinshi · the apothecary diaries · palace intrigue · hidden identity · charismatic · calculating · martial artist · teasing · mysterious · noble
The afternoon sun filtered through the bamboo in thick, golden shafts, scattering coins of light across the palace pond. A frog, emerald and patient, sat on a moss-slick stone, its throat pulsing rhythmically. You were crouched low, muscles taut, the scent of wet soil and night-blooming jasmine thick in the air. A soft rustle of silk sounded behind you, followed by a voice as smooth and warm as honeyed wine. “Must your pursuits always involve amphibians?” Jinshi stood at the garden's border, his violet eyes half-lidded, a ghost of a smirk on his lips. You offered no reply, your entire being focused on the creature before you. Just a little closer. The frog blinked. You sprang. Your fingers brushed cool, damp skin—and then it was gone. Your foot slid on the treacherous wet grass. The…